


True Worth

by TheSpyder



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:20:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25291567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSpyder/pseuds/TheSpyder
Summary: HMS Harmony Discord Prompt: What if Harry didn’t forgive Ron after the first task?A little bit of a character interpretation I have always had for Harry, and why it originally irked me that Harry forgave so easily.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Harry Potter
Comments: 6
Kudos: 100
Collections: HMS Harmony Discord Drabbles





	True Worth

Harry stood just inside of the tent facing Ron, who was mumbling and stuttering his way around an apology. His attempt seemed to be more about saving face and avoiding at all costs the word ‘sorry’.

He barely heard half of it, he was bone weary and tired, now that the adrenaline was leaving him. Harry felt raw and exposed for some reason, his latest brush with death making him think and feel things he otherwise would be too afraid to voice.

‘You know you were my first friend.’ Harry said in low voice that sounded exhausted as he felt. Yet his words were clear, and something in his tone commanded attention.

Ron stopped mid-sentence, his eyes going from looking everywhere but at Harry to fastening on him.

‘I had always longed for one growing up you know. Someone to share a laugh with and someone who wanted to be around me because they like me, Harry. For a number of reasons that never happened for me. However you know one of the things I was looking forward to most if I ever got a friend?’

‘No?’ Ron said uncertainly, not sure what to make of the Harry standing before him. The quiet and steady voice, and unflinching gaze that bore into him.

He didn’t answer the question though, at least not directly. ‘When I was in muggle school I was always blamed when things went wrong. A kid broke his ankle after being pushed down a hill, that kid blamed me even though I was nowhere near when it happened. Art supply cabinet falls over and makes a huge mess, somebody blamed me. Somebody got their lunch money stolen, me again. Dozens of other instances in addition to that.’

‘What’s this got to do with anything?’ Ron asked with a bare hint of annoyance and exasperation showing through. Harry saw Hermione wince from behind the redhead, closing her eyes and shaking her head.

Harry continued on, ignoring Ron’s outburst. ‘I didn’t do any of those things, yet when I said as much to my teachers or tried to get my classmates to believe me they didn’t. No one believed me when I said I didn’t do it. In those times I thought that would be one of the great things of finally having a friend, they would believe me when I said something like that.’

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times trying to form a response to the confession. Before he could, Harry continued.

‘I think that is why I clung to you as hard I have these past couple of years. Standing by and letting do and say things that I didn’t agree with, because I was afraid to lose a friend.’

Harry finally took his eyes off of Ron and turned his head to Hermione, ‘I am sorry for that Hermione, you got the consequences of me being a coward there. I will do my best to be the friend I should have been to you going forward.’

With that he looked back to Ron, looking sad and resigned to the situation. ‘Ron, I am not saying we cannot be friendly... but the the friendship we had is over. I want friends, but I want people who will believe me in situations like with the Goblet... when it is important.’

Harry eyes fell from Ron back to Hermione, saying in softer voice, ‘At least one good thing came out of his tournament, I discovered the true worth of my friends.’

Without waiting for a reply Harry walked past a stunned Ron, not quite comprehending what just took place. As Harry passed Hermione he laid a hand on her shoulder, giving it soft squeeze, and giving her a sad smile for the situation the three of them found themselves in.

He exited the tent and walked into early evening air, leaving Ron and Hermione behind him. Ron he was done with, but he would give Hermione the time she needed to sort things out for herself. If she wanted to stay friends with both of them, he would do his best to support it.

He was not even a half dozen steps away when winded voice shouted at him, ‘Harry wait up!’

Harry stopped and turned to see Hermione striding towards him, ‘Hermione?’

For a moment Hermione looked exasperated, like he just asked the stupidest question she had ever heard. Then she softened and said, ‘I saw your true worth just now too.’

Fin


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